Cooking as a Lady's Social Power

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Hi everyone,

So I was browsing around some websites this morning for some recipes, and I came across this amazing dessert on the Godiva Chocolate website. It’s called the Lemon White Chocolate Mousse Pie with Honey Graham Cracker Crust.

It looks amazing and it tastes amazing, too. It’s perfect for a luncheon on the verandah on a warm and breezy day. It’s a fresh dessert but it’s still got something sweet. :) All of my guys love it with fresh lemony dessert cocktails. 

Here’s the recipe. Browse the other recipes that Godiva has posted… the majority of them really do tickle my sweet tooth!

Hi everyone!

Haven’t been on for awhile-so much work to do! A bit of news is that I’m writing my own cookbook! It’s all very exciting and I’m really happy that I’ve found this new project.

So anyway, let me give you all a new recipe! This is one that I found on the Food Network website. It’s courtesy of Pillsbury. Let me give you the recipe:

Ingredients

1 can (8 oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz.) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet

1 round (8 oz.) Brie cheese

3 tablespoons whole berry cranberry sauce or cranberry chutney

1 tablespoon chopped pecans

1 egg, beaten

8 small seedless red or green grape clusters

1 pear, unpeeled, sliced

1 apple, unpeeled, sliced

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate dough crosswise into 2 sections. Press dough to form 2 squares, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut crosswise into 2 sections. Press dough to form 2 squares.

Cut corners off both dough squares and reserve to use for cutouts. Place 1 dough round on cookie sheet. Cut cheese crosswise into 2 equal layers. Place bottom half of cheese on center of dough circle on cookie sheet. Spread cranberry sauce over cheese. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Top with remaining cheese half. Bring dough up around side of cheese, pressing and pinching dough.

With small cookie or canape cutter, cut shapes from reserved corners of dough; set aside. Place remaining dough on top of cheese round. Press dough evenly around side of cheese. Brush dough with beaten egg. Top with cutouts; brush with additional beaten egg. 

Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 15 minutes before serving. To serve, place warm pastry-wrapped cheese on platter. Arrange fruit around cheese.

elegantladycontributorandyrew asked: Nina,

I love love love your blog... and all of the memories associated with each and every post.

Andrew, thank you so much. Hearing from you never fails to warm my heart. 

I’m always on the look-out for elegant food. I like food that not only tastes great, but looks great as well. I love art and the beauty of life-I want my food to be a pleasure to the sight and the taste. The easiest place to find elegant food is in appetizers. That’s because it’s small. Have you ever noticed how the fancy restaurants that charge you more also give you really small servings? That’s because smaller servings looks more elegant and more refined. This recipe is one of the most elegant that I’ve found so far.

I found it on the Martha Stewart website. This is the kind of recipe that I would use to create some intimacy in a social gathering. Serve this with some white wine and there you have it: a social gathering of people who are speaking quietly, being pleasant, and minding their manners. It’s perfect to any sort of social function: I use it in elegant casual-chic functions on a table on the verandah with white tablecloth, tea, fresh lemonade, wine, and little sandwiches, and I’d also use it in an elegant dinner party with violin music, champagne, and candles. 

This is also a great proud and impressive recipe if you want to show off some culinary savoir-faire. Great for charming or seducing, if you ask me! ;)

Makes 4 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 bunches fresh tarragon
• coarse salt
• 6 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 2 dozen quail eggs
• Chive Blini
• 2 ounces trout or salmon roe

DIRECTIONS:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Coarsely chop enough tarragon leaves to make 6 tablespoons, and set chopped leaves aside. Reserve remaining sprigs for garnish. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add 1 teaspoon salt. Add scallions, and cook until bright green and just tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tarragon leaves, and cook until bright green, about 20 seconds; immediately transfer scallions and tarragon to the ice-water bath. Let cool completely.
• Drain scallions and tarragon, then squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel. Coarsely chop, then transfer to a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add mustard. With machine running, add oil in a slow, steady stream; process until smooth and thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in creme fraiche. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 2 days)
• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Place a dozen eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer; cover them in cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to the ice-water bath, and let it cool. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining eggs. Peel eggs, dipping them in cold water if needed to remove shell pieces. (Peeled eggs can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight.)
• Pick 4 dozen small leaf clusters from remaining tarragon sprigs; set aside. Halve eggs lengthwise. Arrange blini on a platter. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon sauce in center of blini. Top each with half an egg, 1/4 teaspoon roe, and a tarragon cluster.

Tomato Bruschetta is not only a great and easy food, but it’s fun to make! It makes a great companion to any rustic Italian meal. It’s a way to bring friends together and create some casual, playful intimacy.

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tomatoes, cubed
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• seasoning salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, dried basil, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, seasoning salt and ground black pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, until serving.

clashwithreality asked: Love your blog :]

Thank you so much! Thanks for following! <3

Dear Readers,

Summer is almost over here! That makes me so sad. I miss throwing little gatherings with my friends on the verandah with fresh lemonade and green salads. To start saying “goodbye” to the lovely summer months, I’ve decided to start featuring fresher and more summery recipes, or ones that scream “elegant picnic”. :)

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices bread

1 tablespoon mustard

6 slices ham

1 pear, peeled and thinly sliced

2 dashes ground black pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon light margarine

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spread 2 slices of bread with the mustard. Layer each with 3 slices of ham, half of the pear slices, a dash of pepper, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with the remaining bread. Lightly spread margarine on the outer sides of each sandwich.
2. Heat the skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grill the sandwiches until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Cut each sandwich in half to serve.

Can a dinner party really be complete without good appetizers? This is a simple yet yummy tasting one that everyone is sure to love.

Yields 24 tartlets

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• vegetable oil, for brushing
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 1/2 ounces mild goat cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• chopped chives, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean surface (cover the other sheets with a damp towel), brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon parmesan. Cover with another phyllo sheet, brush with more butter and sprinkle with another teaspoon parmesan. Top with the remaining phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Cut the phyllo stack into 24 squares, about 3 inches each. Brush a 24-cup mini muffin tin with oil, then firmly press a phyllo square, buttered-side down, into each cup. Bake until golden, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in  saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth, 1 minute. Add the nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the goat cheese, lemon zest and vinegar until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and mix in the egg yolks, then the spinach.

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the spinach filling. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each phyllo cup and top with the remaining parmesan. Bake until the filling is set, 15 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan; remove and top with chives.

This recipe is from the same person who gave me the one for the Pumpkin Ravioli with Hazelnut cream. I like this recipe because it’s very peaceful, elegant, and fresh.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 small/medium zucchini, well scrubbed
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
• 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
• 350 g fusilli

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grate the zucchini using a food processors. Move to a colander and salt. Allow to drain for about 20 minutes. Blot dry with paper towels.
2. Boil salted water for pasta and add.
3. Meanwhile over medium heat add olive oil and garlic, sauté for 30 seconds and then add zucchini and a pinch of salt.
4. Cook zucchini stirring for about 3-5 minutes. Add the mint, turn a few times and add the cream and season generously with pepper.
5. Cook at a simmer for a few minutes until the pasta is done. If the sauce gets too thick take it off the heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
6. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Toss with the sauce add parmesan and pasta water a tablespoon at a time as needed.